Henwaun Colliery rope break, 1855

Between twelve and one on Thursday 23 August 1855 the nearly new wire winding rope at Henwaun Pit, Blaina, snapped while the hitcher and two young hauliers were being drawn up for dinner. They fell about 70 yards to the bottom and were killed.

Cause

The wire winding rope broke; no cause could be assigned, the rope being nearly new.

Contributing factors

Unknown.

What happened

The three worked at the bottom of the pit: the hitcher and two lads who were hauliers. They had been raised about 70 yards when the rope parted. They were Howell Lewis, John James and Thomas Jones.

Rescue & recovery

Unknown.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was held the next day and returned accidental death.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Unknown.

Changes to practice & legislation

Unknown.

Memorials & commemoration

Unknown.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• The rope, a wire one, snapped about 70 yards from the bottom and the hitcher and two lads, hauliers, were killed. ¹
• An inquest was held the following day and returned accidental death. ²
• On 23 August 1855 three men fell about 70 yards when the rope broke as they came up for dinner. ³

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Haulier (contextual relationship)
  Two hauliers died.
• Onsetter (contextual relationship)
  The hitcher (onsetter) was among the dead.
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  They fell down the shaft.

Sources

1. (primary) Blaina: dreadful accident (Monmouthshire Merlin, 25 August 1855) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
2. (primary) Blaina (Usk Observer, 8 September 1855) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
3. (secondary) Henwaun Pit Blaina — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 19 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026